I can't imagine anything recapturing the feeling of SS1. I ended the game with lots of extra ammo and explosives, but that was because resource scarcity felt like a real thing and I was compelled to hoard.
It felt great coming up on the final level, having snuck through and played conservatively most of the way, having gone through the security deck without engaging hardly anything... and then being able to really unload the heavy weapons on the bridge.
I think that level was supposed to be "race past the hoard and get to a cybertermanal" but I was a walking arsenal and was able to throw in tons of bombs and follow up with a freaking lead hose of bullets.
I never did unlock that one room with the retnal scanner that you needed the guy's severed head for. I searched all over for it, but must have blown it up with a grenade by accident.
The whole thing, having all the human encounters dangled in front of you and then yanked away just before you met them (always sort of knowing in the back of your head that you'd never meet another "living" person)... The confrontation with the Executive, not just exciting because he was a miniboss and the guy whom you helped cause all the problems, and to whom you owe your cybernetics, etc etc... but also because he was the only other living thinking independent person on the entire station.
And all the little victories... Every time you thwarted the AI, it had another plan. the radios, the laser, the hydroponic decks, every time you fought a hard earned victory, there was something else. And the station was a real living place you had to move through. I'm glad SS2 kept that idea, that the levels were not just linear levels but were sort of laid out logically and you would need to sometimes back-track to do different jobs.
I played it before the voice pack came out, and when I got the voice pack and heard the voices on the logs, and the Shodan talking.. there were physical chills running down my spine.
SS2 was a cool game, but it just didn't do any of that. The initial Shodan reveal, maybe a little. But it didn't carry through the game at all.
Honestly, I'm not sure it is even possible for SS3 to nail that feeling. the bar might be raised, people might have different expectations of plot, one might not be able to suspend disbelief for the graphics. I am able to get into Mechwarior 1 much easier than I am able to get into Mwchwarior 4, these days. The simplicity of the graphics allow me to put aside some of the absurdities of the setting, which is possibly why I like beautiful ASCII games like DF, and CoQ, and Cogmind (though the later two have pixel art sprites these days).
I will be watching this space, though. Will probably buy the game, regardless.
And don't forget, Night Dive is doing the SS1 remake! and GOG has the original SS1 remastered (basically a tuned up version of the fan-made SS-Portable) that you can play!
What would be better though, rather than remakes and sequels, if someone wrote a fresh story with their own new ideas. I mean, I get that a brother has to eat and they're marketing essentially 'fresh' ideas in a tried and true package that should sell better just because it has the SS name on there... I'd just be happier if the whole package was fresh and original, even if it was still action-hacker vs AI.
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Topic: System Shock 3: It's happening. SHODAN-style. (Read 8104 times)